The Attractive Italian Man who Makes Connections

I was at some kind of strange outdoor event before dawn, where people were walking along in a line. I was given two entrance tickets. Then a man handing them out pulled me back and handed me another one. Looking closely at the tickets I saw they had drink vouchers on them.

me: (to self) "A-ha, so that's how the free beer is supposed to work. Only one is free. Well I guess they're giving out extra vouchers if you get here early."

We approached a park area, with a lot of asphalt and a little bit of playground equipment. There was a stack of speakers and amplifiers as if a band were going to play later. Some people looking at the skyline began a countdown. Fireworks went off when they were down to about 5. But they kept counting.

me: (joking) "If you were counting down the moment the fireworks were going to start, I think you can stop counting once they do...and just accept you were off."

For some reason I knew I was going to be driving fairly soon. I had been staying at the apartment of some guy who was also at this event, but he was leaving town right after. So I was wavering on whether I should enjoy 3 beers and then have to drive or not.

The beers were in clear plastic cups and already poured. A bartender at a table was chatting about the prices they'd gotten.

bartender: "We got a great deal on beer for this event. Each beer was 90 cents instead of the usual 99."

My friend who I'd been staying with was telling someone about his upcoming trip.

friend: "So yeah, I'm going to China, and this is going to be my first time on a megasonic jet. They're like 1000 miles per hour. I'm scared."

me: (interrupting) "They ramp up to that speed and then back down, I doubt you'll notice any difference. You don't feel velocity, just acceleration."

friend: "It's just the principle of it, y'know. Too fast."

Time passed and things began to wrap up. I walked into a sort of bakery/diner that I deduced was connected with the event, maybe providing some of the food. At first I was going to say goodbye, but I saw a girl inside that I recognized who I wanted to talk to.

me: "Hey, long time no see. And now this... of course is a dream. So I've not seen you even now."

her: (in strange accent) "What is point with what you are saying? Is that we are 'not actually here'?"

me: "There's matters of degree, but your question is pretty metaphysical. Is one actually anywhere, ever?"

her: "Yes--absolutely yes! The connections between us are so real, we are wrapped in a bubble or superstring or what it is you want to call them. You don't even have to imagine this connection, you can see and feel them."

She raised a hand to her head, and somehow it seemed to pull on something on the side of my head. In the moment, I started to think of the artwork of Alex Grey:

her: "You felt that, right? These are connections. He makes them."

me: "Who is he?"

her: "The attractive Italian man. CompProwSec! All the connection comes from him."

Note
That's not precisely what she said. But was something that sounded like a mispronunciation of some kind of computer product. I got the feeling she was mistaking an automated system [like a email server, or anti-virus software] for an actual person.

Currently I am experimenting with using Disqus for comments, however it is configured that you don't have to log in or tie it to an account. Simply check the "I'd rather post as a guest" button after clicking in the spot to type in a name.

The accounts written here are as true as I can manage. While the
words are my own, they are not independent creative works of fiction
—in any intentional way. Thus I do not consider the material to
be protected by anything, other than that you'd have to be
crazy to want to try and use it for genuine purposes (much less
disingenuous ones!) But who's to say?